The best book for beginners is the best book you can find, not a book written for beginners.
It's important to have a good foundation.
But, that said, the Bunning book is as good a place too start as any,
except that she doesn't really grok the Swords. Hers is free online.
Pollack's 78 Degrees pair is good for starters too, but I wouldn't bother with her other ones.
Gail Fairfield's Choice Centered Tarot is worthwhile.
The Tarot by Alfred Douglas is decent,
Lon Milo DuQuette has a good intro to the Crowley tarot
Eden Gray's is more influential than deep.
Waite doesn't understand the pips or court
Mary Greer's 21 Ways and Understanding the Tarot Court are decent
Louis Anthony's Tarot Plain and Simple is worthwhile, but he confuses number symbolism with numerology.
Jana Riley and Bill Butler both have books that summarize what many others have to say.
The comments above about booklets that come with decks are correct,
with the one exception being Wasserman's booklet with the Crowley deck.